Hopper for a pharmaceutical counter

Abstract

A hopper of a pharmaceutical counter comprises a housing defining an interior sized to hold a plurality of pharmaceuticals. The housing defines an outlet in communication with the interior that is sized and shaped to permit the plurality of pharmaceuticals to move therethrough. The hopper also includes a baffle supported by the housing and disposed in the interior. The baffle is disposed between upper and lower ends of the interior. The baffle is arranged to support a portion of the plurality of pharmaceuticals above the baffle when the plurality of pharmaceuticals is held in the interior of the housing. This relieves the head pressure of the pharmaceuticals at the outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hopper of a pharmaceutical counter, the hopper comprising:
 a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion, the housing defining an interior sized to hold a plurality of pharmaceuticals, the interior having a lower end and an upper end, the lower portion of the housing defining an outlet in communication with the interior, the outlet sized and shaped to permit the plurality of pharmaceuticals to move therethrough; and   a baffle supported by the housing and disposed in the interior, the baffle disposed between the upper and lower ends of the interior, the baffle arranged to support a portion of the plurality of pharmaceuticals above the baffle when the plurality of pharmaceuticals is held in the interior of the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The hopper of  claim 1 , wherein the interior has a front side and a rear side, the baffle being spaced apart from the front and rear sides of the interior. 
     
     
         3 . The hopper of  claim 1 , wherein the baffle is arranged relative to the outlet such that an imaginary vertically-oriented axis intersects the baffle and the outlet. 
     
     
         4 . The hopper of  claim 1 , wherein the baffle has a front side, a rear side and a baffle axis extending between the front and rear ends, the baffle axis disposed at an angle to a horizontal plane. The hopper of  claim 4 , wherein the angle is within the inclusive range of about 20 degrees to about 60 degrees. 
     
     
         6 . The hopper of  claim 4 , wherein the baffle is movable relative to the housing to change the angle. 
     
     
         7 . The hopper of  claim 6 , further comprising a retainer configured to selectively fix the baffle relative to the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The hopper of  claim 1 , wherein the baffle has a generally planar shape. 
     
     
         9 . The hopper of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes first and second side walls defining first and second sides of the interior, the baffle extending between the first and second side walls. 
     
     
         10 . The hopper of  claim 1 , wherein the baffle is a first baffle, the hopper further comprising a second baffle supported by the housing and disposed in the interior, the second baffle disposed between the upper and lower ends of the interior, the baffle arranged to support another portion of the plurality of pharmaceuticals when the plurality of pharmaceuticals is held in the interior of the housing. 
     
     
         11 . The hopper of  claim 10 , wherein the second baffle is horizontally and vertically offset from the first baffle. 
     
     
         12 . The hopper of  claim 10 , wherein the second baffle is disposed rearwardly and upwardly relative to the first baffle. 
     
     
         13 . The hopper of  claim 1 , wherein the interior has a volume within the inclusive range of about 16 liters to about 20 liters. 
     
     
         14 . The hopper of  claim 1 , in combination with a counting mechanism of the pharmaceutical counter. 
     
     
         15 . A method of installing a hopper in a pharmaceutical counter array, the pharmaceutical counter array including a plurality of pharmaceutical counters, the method comprising:
 removing an existing hopper from a first pharmaceutical counter of the plurality of pharmaceutical counters, the existing hopper having a first volume for holding pharmaceuticals;   removing a second pharmaceutical counter of the plurality of pharmaceutical counters from the pharmaceutical counter array, the second pharmaceutical counter disposed directly above the first pharmaceutical counter in the pharmaceutical counter array; and   installing the hopper in the first pharmaceutical counter, the hopper having a second volume for holding pharmaceuticals, the second volume being greater than the first volume;   wherein the hopper occupies at least a portion of a space previously occupied by the second pharmaceutical counter in the pharmaceutical counter array before the second pharmaceutical counter was removed from the pharmaceutical counter array.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the hopper substantially fills the space previously occupied by the second pharmaceutical counter. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the hopper as a width generally corresponding to a first width of the existing hopper, and wherein the first pharmaceutical counter has a first height extending between an upper end of the hopper and a lower end of the first pharmaceutical counter after the said installing the hopper, the first height generally equal to or less than a second height, the second height extending between an upper end of the second pharmaceutical counter and the lower end of the first pharmaceutical counter before said removing the second pharmaceutical counter. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said installing the hopper includes adjusting a position of a baffle of the hopper. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said adjusting includes rotating the baffle about an axis of rotation. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the baffle is a first baffle, and wherein said installing the hopper includes adjusting a position of a second baffle of the hopper.